NIGERIA HAS A LEGION OF ISSUES TO RESOLVE; RELIGION IS NOT ONE OF THEM.

"When religion is used for political purposes, it empties religion of its eternal meaning and becomes just one more cynical method of acquiring power" -Very Rev Dr Okegbile.

On his now rave of the moment, POLITICS TODAY, Seun Okinbaloye, recently asked Governor Rotimi Akeredolu of Ondo state whether he would have remained indifferent if it was a party other than the APC - his party - that was fielding a Muslim - Muslim ticket in the 2023 Presidential election, to which he answered in the affirmative, stressing that what Nigeria needs now is competence that can be gauged from a candidate's track record and, if I may add, a commitment, and the ability, to right the mistakes which have splintered Nigerians menacingly along ethnic divides.
On the same day Akeredolu was saying that, Governor Samuel Lalong, his Plateau state counterpart, and the APC Presidential Campaign Director - General, on a visit to the Villa, was also taken up by journalists on the same issue of Muslim - Muslim ticket.
Realising the single minded determination of some misdirected people, in cahoots with thousands of ethnic nihilists who, the other day, turned the otherwise well- intended effort to check police brutality, aka #ENDSARS#, to an agendum to incinerate Lagos plus, of course, a coterie of CAN members apparently unable to forget those giddy days of very profitable liaison with the Goodluck Jonathan government, to equate the Muslim - Muslim ticket to an Islamisation agenda, I consider it worthwhile to let them benefit from the very timely article below. I hereby crave the permission of the Very Rev. Dr Okegbile to have it published in full, in the hope that knowledge will set these naysayers free.
The much respected Man of God wrote as follows in
TINUBU BEYOND NIGERIA’S ISLAMIZATION:
"Twenty two years ago, I was sent by Methodist Church Nigeria to serve as Presiding Chaplain, Chapel of Christ the Light (Interdenominational), Alausa, and later at the State House Chapel, Marina, Lagos. My pastoral work at the chapel afforded me a close understanding and religious maturity of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the presidential candidate, of the ruling All Progressive Congress (APC), and a former governor of Lagos, a state that is a microcosm of Nigeria in terms of religious diversity.

His matured management of religion as a way of life, ensured inter-religious harmony in Nigeria’s most industrialised state.

AsiwajuTinubu’s composition of his state Executive Council was a model of religious harmony, trust and love in Lagos State. Nations fail not due to climate, geography or culture. In the words of leading academics Daron Acemoglu and James A Robinson, nation fails due to lack of ‘sound institutions that allows virtuous circles of innovation, economic expansion, more widely-held wealth and peace.’

Asiwaju Tinubu’s ability to blend economics, politics and history as a powerful and persuasive way of understanding wealth and poverty has potentials to place Nigeria on the path to peace and prosperity.
Thanks to God for the conclusion of all the political parties primaries and selections of candidates for 2023 general election in Nigeria. Asiwaju Bola Tinubu’s ‘hard decision’ and choice of a Muslim-running mate is not about Nigeria’s Islamisation or a look down on Christianity in Nigeria. Just as it is understandable and right for the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) to express our feelings and fears about the choice of Muslim-Muslim ticket, it is important to note that ‘when religion is used for political purposes, it empties religion of its eternal meaning and becomes just one more cynical method of acquiring power.’

One is very sad about the unabated killings and kidnappings especially against the Christians in Nigeria but we must be very watchful not to allow any blasphemous campaign aimed at provoking anger against the person and aspiration of Asiwaju Tinubu. With practical experience nd encounters with Asiwaju Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, human life is very sacred.
Asiwaju Tinubu’s leadership vision for a better Nigeria is able to provide an assurance and commitment for Christian safety and freedom of worship. As a former governor who laid the 24 years development plan for Lagos State, Asiwaju Tinubu and his wife also instituted and hosted Lagos State annual Christian Thanksgiving Service at Lagos House, Marina, always led by CAN leaders. It was during the tenure of Asiwaju Tinubu as governor of Lagos State that Lagos State Christian Pilgrim Board was given a lifting up and constituted with members drawn across all the blocs in CAN.

I think CAN should give Asiwaju Tinubu the benefit of the doubt. This is based on the consideration of his political manifestoes, personal testimonies as a husband to a Christian wife and a pastor, Senator Oluremi Tinubu, and his openness to Christian community and leaders across Nigeria. Asiwaju Tinubu while serving as a governor of Lagos State did not stop her daughter, now Iya Loja – Folasade Tinubu- Ojo from being a member of a Christian church in Lagos.

I was introduced to Asiwaju Tinubu by Rev J Abimbola Odunlami, a former Conference Public Relation Officer, Methodist Church Nigeria. Upon my appointment as conference editor, Methodist Church Nigeria in 1993, I was put under the mentoring of Rev Odunlami. It was during one of my visits to Rev Odunlami’s residence at Victoria Island, Lagos, that I first met Asiwaju Bola Tinubu.

In 2000, under the leadership of Asiwaju Tinubu, Lagos State government sought the support of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Lagos State, to volunteer a Christian clergy for the pastoral oversight of the newly built Chapel of Christ the Light (Interdenominational), Alausa, Ikeja. Only two churches responded namely: Methodist Church Nigeria and Foursquare Gospel Church of Nigeria. I was sent by Methodist Church Nigeria and became the first presiding chaplain. Asiwaju Tinubu and his wife, Senator Oluremi Tinubu were very regular in the chapel worships at Alausa especially during state’s special functions.

Since the creation of Lagos State in 1967, there was no worship place built for Christian worship in the governor’s residence at Marina House except a mosque built by the past administrations. In 2003, under the leadership of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, for the first time, the State House Chapel, Marina was built and dedicated with all the CAN leadership in attendance. Asiwaju Tinubu’s support to his wife enabled her to pray and lead other Christian staffs and friends at the State House in the mid-week, Sunday worships, and monthly all-night vigil at the State House Chapel, Marina, Lagos.

Asiwaju Tinubu’s form of religiosity is filled with love and welfare of others, Christian or Muslim. Asiwaju Tinubu’s adherence to the tenets of religion is about the practice of equality that benefits ‘all because talent is no respecter of faith; intellect is not limited to one religion. Diversity enhances societies while insularity destroys it.’
Asiwaju Tinubu not only demonstrates religious tolerance, he accommodates and ‘believes in that cardinal principle of the Nigerian Constitution that no one should suffer discrimination on the basis of creed or opinion".

Just as the nihilists were losing their heads, occupying social media space, spewing inanities came forth 'a man for the moment', a well- born Igbo, with a well- rounded education, and an elected representative of his people; a contemporaneous state governor with Ashiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu to boot, to bear testimony to Tinubu as the " hardest working Nigerian politician in modern history."
I refer here to H.E (Dr) Chimaroke Nnamani, a senator of the Federal Republic who, despite the inherent danger, could not shy away from saying it as it is, even though he may now be a marked man back home.
Nnamani wrote, inter alia, as follows:

"Bola Tinubu, the 12th governor of Lagos States was a co-governor with me (1999–2007). As colleagues we worked together in pioneering the first meetings of Conferences of Southern Governors which we interchanged hosting the first and second and visited Enugu for the meetings.

That meeting brought to the front burner issues of Federalism both Physical and Fiscal. I still remember the educative contributions of Gov. Bisi Akande.
I must confess of occasional envy as we interchanged ideas and implemented reform decisions. He had more resources and quickly implemented the full requirements of ACCESS to Justice reform project. Making the Lagos State Criminal Justice System, one of the best in Africa.

The Judges stopped writing physical notes. More advanced vehicles were provided and participation in Conferences guaranteed. Our two Attorneys General worked very closely. Mrs Gloria Egbuji steered us through Access to Justice Program, the now famous Dr. Joe Abah assisted and supervised, under the direction of DFID.

I recall a National Competition on Reform advances amongst States covering Governance, Transparencies, Budgeting and Ease of doing business. Supervised by the Economic Adviser to the President ( a guy from Benue State), DFID and other development partners also participated. Enugu emerged tops, followed closely by either Lagos State or the FCT. Enugu also established the first Poverty Reduction Study, Review, Guidelines and Implementation before the Federal Government or indeed any other State, verified by Dr Joe Abah, former DFID staff in Enugu. Enugu tried considering our Financial dilemma. The Justice system also paid close attention to Women and Children welfare.

Both governments pioneered Development Centers. For obvious political reasons he was denied due Federal allocations for years. He kept ploughing on! His Justice sector also provided jobs to many spouses of non Lagosians working and residing in Lagos. I had cause to engage with him on jobs for Enugu spouses. In the Education Sector he introduced Tutor General and raised the bar for earning by teachers. In Enugu we approved that Primary School Teachers could rise to level 16.

We also approved elevation for those who obtained graduate qualifications. I also admired his pupil Governor for a day. Somehow I never got to it. Tinubu also directly intervened in Enugu spouses who had issues as teachers. In the Health Sector, I faintly recall a Soyinka heading his HIV program and later becoming Health Commissioner! As a doctor I kept tab on his strides in my professional area. With a modern Disease Surveillance system and Emergency Medicine program in place.

He put in programs cordinating health and Justice for abused women and children. Tinubu had first class social work response program. His reform advocacy was second to Enugu State. I had the advantage of background but gravely limited by resources. He left a lasting legacy of hard work in Lagos State in infrastructure (roads and housing).

When Bola Ahmed Tinubu was governor, Lagos state’s IGR rose from 600 million Naira per month to over 8 billion Naira per month. He had an impressive track record as a governor; his state contributed more than 30% to our country’s GDP, accounted for more than 65% of industrial investment in Nigeria, 80% of its international trade, and collected more than 60% of the country’s value-added tax. In the area of Human capacity, his mentorship was first class and his mentees have spread out and like little acorns many have become giant oak trees in Nigeria’s political firmaments.
Just like in Enugu we appointed non Enugu people (avoiding the meaningless and retrogressive anathema “non indigene”) I recall my brother Ben Akabueze being a repository of the financial and economic secrets of “Yoruba” Tinubu Lagos State Government.
Fashola, Osinbajo, Aregbosola, Fayemi, etc. All first class with A-game always.
I vigorously oppose, protest and detest the shameless campaigns and parody targeting Tinubu’s health. As a Health worker I am amazed by the ignorance, foolishness, wickedness and callousness of these idiotic operators. I believe they are unwarranted, extremely unprofessional, and have no place in our polity. As the GenZ grow and Nigeria merges with the new world, they will cry at the foibles of their progenitors".
"GOD, give us men!
A time like this demands
Strong minds, great hearts, true faith and ready hands;
Men whom the lust of office does not kill;
Men whom the spoils of office can not buy;
Men who possess opinions and a will;
Men who have honor; men who will not lie;
Men who can stand before a demagogue
And damn his treacherous flatteries without winking! ... - Josiah Gilbert Holland.
Thank you Senator Nnamani.
Nigeria shall survive these times